July 2 - 5, 2021
Los Angeles, CA

Press

Anime Expo® welcomes members of the media who are involved in the anime, manga, and/or entertainment industry.

Complimentary badges are provided as a courtesy to those intending to do press coverage of Anime Expo. Press members may be freelance and on assignment for a media outlet or employed with a major media company.

If you wish to attend as Press, you must apply online — completing the full application by the deadline. Applications submitted after the due date may not be reviewed. Please be sure to fill out the application as much as possible to ensure a smooth review process and improve the likelihood of getting approved for a Press badge.

Refrain from asking for autographs or personal photos with guests at any time during press conferences or interviews. Photos of guests to accompany coverage may be allowed, but are subject to guest/management approval, time constraints, and must be arranged ahead of time.

Be mindful not to impede traffic flow when conducting interviews with or taking photos of attendees.

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation reserves the right to bar, from this and future annual events, any registered press member who violates our Code of Conduct or who misuses media privileges to engage in activities other than journalistic pursuits.

Disclaimer: Photos of copyrighted material reprinted without the prior consent of the presenter/panelist is strictly prohibited.

Photography/video recording of the AMV Contest.

Taking photos/video of certain Guests. (Information about each guest’s photo/video policy will be made available to approved press members prior to Anime Expo)

Photography, Video, and Audio Recording

At no point should any footage taken at Anime Expo be sold for profit. If you have a special filming request or intend to record footage for a documentary or other non-press-related reason, please reach out to marketing@spja.org for assistance. Photography and video is permissible in the common areas of the LACC and in most panels.

You will be notified by the panel moderator or a posted sign if photo and/or video are not allowed in that particular event. Please respect our attendees’ and guests’ wishes if they decline to be photographed or filmed. Failure to comply with this request can result in expulsion from Anime Expo.

Please reach out to the respective industry contact for information about press access.

Information will be provided to approved press when available.

Press Members are expected to arrive 10 minutes early to press conferences – admittance will not be allowed after the start of the press conference. Please note that not all guests will be offering a press conference. Some guests' management may opt for a closed press conference in which only invited/approved press will be able to attend. The AX press conference schedule will be made available in advance to approved Press members only. RSVPs will be requested, but are not required in order to attend.

Interviews

Guest of Honor: Interview requests will only be received via a form that will be sent out to all approved press members prior to Anime Expo. Email requests will not be accepted. Interview requests will be reviewed by both SPJA/as well as each guest’s respective management teams. Guests of Honor may conduct their press junkets anytime between Day 0 and Day 4, depending on their schedules. A translator will be provided by Anime Expo, but you are welcome to bring your own translator if you prefer. Submitting an interview request does not guarantee an interview.

Industry Appearance: Some industry appearances may have press contact information listed on his/her respective pages. The SPJA/Press Relations team will be able to forward any requests to interview an industry guest to the proper contact person. These requests are subject to the discretion and availability of the industry appearance and respective management. Industry Appearances and their management will determine the time and location of their interviews.

Important Notes

Prepare questions in advance! It is highly recommended that questions are prepared in advance for all guests you are interested in interviewing, even if you do not know yet whether you have been confirmed for an interview or not. This applies to both for both Anime Expo Guests of Honor and Industry Guests. Some management may request proposed questions as a part of the vetting process for interviews. Additionally, providing questions in advance will help management or translators prepare for the interview, thus helping to decrease the amount of time it will take to translate.

Arrive early! Confirmed interviewers are expected to arrive 10 minutes ahead of their appointment to check in at the Press Lounge. They will then be escorted to the interview room by an Anime Expo staff volunteer. Failure to arrive on time may affect the consideration of interview requests at future Anime Expo events.

An interview space may be reserved by registered media or industry through the press room staff volunteers. Use of this room is by appointment only and is subject to availability. Please send an e-mail to with these requests.